Nothing Lasts Forever
by Coconutters
Summary: This is my take on why Rachel changed her mind on singing at Regionals. A lead up to the Finchel locker scene and a follow up to the opening scene in the choir room.


**Title:** Nothing Lasts Forever  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T (T stands for taboo, right? ;) )  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Will/Rachel  
><strong>Spoilers: <strong>Current through episode 3X14  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Sadly, I don't own anything relating to Glee. That honor is reserved for the wonderful Ryan Murphy and Fox.  
><strong>Summary<strong>**:**I was talking the latest episode out with my ladies and I decided that there is too much Schueberry goodness to let this go. In this One-Shot, Will calls Rachel aside in his office after glee in the beginning of the episode. This is just a missing scene that I think should have been in the show.

**Glee Club, After School**

"I can't believe you would do that to me." Finn said from his position in front of the Glee Club. His eyes narrowed on his fiancé, Rachel, as he felt his chest constrict.

"I'm going to be married to you, don't you think I'm going to suffer the consequences as well? I just-I don't care about stuff like that-I love you and we'll-we'll manage this together okay the important thing right now is that we win!" Rachel stood from her chair and crossed over the the lumbering teen who stood by Will. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, he thought that she loved him. At least more than a stupid competition.

"So you wouldn't care if I photo-shopped a photo of you like this and put it on the internet?" He held up the picture of his own head photo-shopped on another guy's body, naked, trying to make a point; to make her see that she's acting crazy. _Why does this competition matter so much to her?_

"Look, our future depends on us winning Regionals. It'll help me toward my NYATA application." He saw her eyes dart towards their coach for a split second, then back to him. _What is up with her? Why is she acting to crazy? Does this competition, and getting into NYATA mean more to her than my reputation? _

"Hmm, hope you get in." Finn turned away from her, and the rest of the club, and left the choir room without looking back. Rachel was left there, standing alone, speechless but she knew she had done the right thing. Winning has always meant so much to her and if she could help in getting another Nationals trophy for the Glee Club then she was going to do it. It would mean the world to so many of her fellow club members, and to Will.

"Finn..." Will called after the teen as he exited the room and looked at a shaken Rachel and wanted to hold her, out of reflex; but no. That was done with now, and had been for a long time. He ran a hand through his hair and decided that with Rachel being the backbone of the club and everyone's motivation to do anything productive; it wouldn't make any sense to continue with rehearsal if she were upset so he dismissed the club early.

Rachel was slowly collecting her things and he bent down to hand her a stray sheet of music that had gotten away. "Here," he said in a softened tone.

She didn't look at him but took the paper from his hand, "Thank you."

A moment passed and neither one knew what to say to each other but Will knew he _had _to talk to her. He knew why she was so adamant about performing and although he secretly enjoyed that he won over Finn; he knew he had to set things right.

"Rach, can I talk to you for a minute in my office?" It was a phrase he had said often since he knew her, since he really knew her; but somehow now it felt different. She quietly nodded and followed him into his office that always smelled like him. He shut the door behind them and locked the door out of habit when she used to frequent his office for a different reason.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about, Mr. Schuester?" Her voice was cold, hinted with sadness and even though they had been over for some months now the sound of his formal title coming from her lips still felt like a small dagger penetrating his heart.

"Why did you tell Finn you were performing at Regionals?" Leaning on his desk, he crossed his arms; trying to get a layer of separation between them. His office seem to be getting smaller by the second, _maybe calling Rachel in here wasn't the brightest of ideas._

"What do you mean? I-I want to win and so does everybody else. You know as well as I do that if we want to win, I should be singing lead." He looked down at her hands, so small and delicate as they played with the fabric on her dress. _She's nervous, _he thought. _Well, at least that makes two of us._

He let out an exasperated sigh, "You're right, Rachel. If we want to win you singing lead is our best option but I don't want you upsetting your boyfriend over-"

"Fiancé," she corrected. The word hung in the air and evaporated into Will's pores.

"Right. Sorry, I don't want you upsetting your _fiancé._ Us winning is not worth you throwing away the potential love of your life."

She took a big step toward him, "and what exactly _is _worth throwing love away?" Her arms went to match Will's over her grey, patterned dress.

"We said we wouldn't talk about this anymore," he met her eyes and saw hurt there.

"No, I think we need to talk about this. It clearly is affecting our lives, still. I'll tell you why I want to sing at Regionals-for you. I want to sing, for you so that I can win you another Regionals championship and go on to win you Nationals. I couldn't make you happy when we were together so please-give me this. I need to sing." The stance in Rachel had changed from defensive to something Will hadn't seen in a long time, vulnerable. One hand went limp at her side while the other covered her mouth, like she couldn't believe what she had just said.

"Honey, don't-" He went to reach for her but her hand batted his away as she broke in, "Don't. You don't get to call me that anymore. This was a bad idea, me coming in here, it feels too familiar. I should go." The starred backpack was on her shoulder faster than Will could blink.

His hand gently grabbed her arm as she faced away from him, "Rachel. I'm sorry. It's your decision, if you're going to perform or not but just know that whatever you do; I will stand by your decision. And you shouldn't be doing this for me, you should be doing this for yourself, for your future."

She turned to face him, ashamed of the tears that were threatening to spill over. "I know, I-I just. I still miss you-but I guess that's pathetic. We're both-"

"It's not pathetic," he stated. "Maybe it is, but if you're pathetic then so am I." He heard her backpack hit the floor and watched as a hand went to dab at her eyes. He wanted to touch her, to remember how she felt underneath his fingers.

He put his hands on her shoulders and felt her slightly jump and couldn't help but enjoy the heat he could feel below his palms as he rubbed her arms up and down, trying to calm her like he had done countless times before this very moment. "I'll tell you what. _If _you decide to perform, I have a song in mind. I'll dig it out after you leave and put it in your locker. It sums up a lot of how we feel. We both want each other to be happy and to do that we need to move on. I know we both have but not completely; us being here proves that. How does that sound?"

She nodded and gave him a half smile, "It sounds like a deal." His right hand ran through her soft locks and came to rest behind her head as he looked into eyes that at one time were so safe and familiar.

"Good." He didn't know why, but something about Rachel standing there looking up at him through wet lashes made him have a moment of nostalgia. He truly did miss her and everything they were. He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. _She still fits so perfectly against me, and she still smells the same. This isn't fair. Finn-he's not good enough for her. He'll only hold her back just like I would. At least I knew how to love her, how to hold her like she matters. Does Finn do this? Does he hold her like I do, or did. How I did. _He played with her hair as she sighed against him and for a moment, everything was perfect. Everything was right.

He could feel her pull away but he wasn't ready to let go so he held onto her and rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes and just breathed with her.

"I'm going to marry Finn," she said quietly. He put his hands on either side of her face, "I'm going to marry Emma."

A small hand curled around one of his as she spoke, "I should go." And with that, the spell was broken. He watched as she opened the door and walked out into the choir room. _She's going to marry Finn. _Was a phrase that echoed in his mind as he gathered his things to go home, to Emma. _Emma. I can't take her to their wedding. I can't stand by her and hold her hand and be happy with her while I watch Rachel marry someone else. No, it would just be too hard; and besides, Rachel deserves to be happy on her wedding day and the last thing she'd want to see was Emma sitting by my side._

Will turned off the lights, locked his office door and walked through the halls of McKinley. Kurt came close to knocking him over as he shot through the hallway with a bridal magazine in his hand, no doubt taking it to Rachel. Even though both he and Rachel are in pain now, one day they won't be; and Will knows that. It's the only thing that keeps him going anymore, the only thing that gives him hope. One day, all of this will seem senseless. One day, all his and Rachel's dreams will come true and they both will be happy with their spouses. That was enough for him, it had to be.

He went to Rachel's locker and twisted in the correct combination. He hoped she took the solo, she was the only one that he wanted to see sing it. Will carefully placed the sheet music in her locker and stared at the title. "Here's To Us." It felt right, he knew she would think so, too.


End file.
